Mailbox with door-actuated signal



July 26, 1949. w, J, KORTH 2,477,379

MAILBOX WITH DOOR-ACTUATED SIGNAL Fil ed April 14, 1947 INVENTOR.

A TTOPNEYS [K9 WsLLlAM J. KoRTfi Patented July 26,1949

ATENT OFFICE 2,477,379 Y MAILBOX WITH DOOR-ACTUATED SIGNAL William J. Kortl1,-Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Pioneer Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

- partnership Application April 14, 1947, Serial No..741,183

This invention relates to mailboxes and more particularly to. mailboxes having associated signaling systems by-which deposit of the mail or the callingof a visitor maybe announced.

An objectof my invention is to provide a mailbox of improved design which will give a distinctive signal to the members of the household when the mail is deposited. Another object is to provide a mailbox having an associated doorbell circuit, which in part provides means for signaling deposit of mail and otherwise operates as a conventional doorbell circuit, and which further may be selectively adjusted as desired to give yet another signal; for example illuminating a message when the occupants are not at home, or when under other circumstances such illumination should be desirable. Still another object is to provide a mailbox which is attractive in appearance, economical to manufacture and which is durable and strong and convenient to use. An additional object is to provide a mailbox in which mail inside the box cannot be removed through the mail slot without signaling to the household that the box has been opened.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of my invention reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of my improved mailbox; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section as indicated by lines 22 of Figure 1 and on a somewhat larger scale; Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the upper portion of the mailbox with the cover plate removed; Figure 4 is a section of the upper portion of the mailbox taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 3; Figure 5 is awiring diagram showing the electric circuits associated with the mailbox; Figure 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a modified form of the invention showing a form of'mechanical means for operating the bell switch.

Referring now to the drawings, my invention comprises a mailbox Hi which-in appearance generally takes conventional form but which has associated with it a, doorbell circuit and other circuits to give appropriate signals in a manner to be described. Thus when thelid ll of the mailbox is lifted in order that mail may 'be-left within the box, a switch 12 is operated by the lid to ring a doorbell within the house. The boxis also provided with a manual push button [3 by which a ,3 Claims. (C1. 232-35) visitor can announce himself in the usual manner. Lastly a light circuit controlled by the push button it and alsoby a selector switch I4 is provided so that for one position of the switch It a message can be illuminated when the push button i3 is manually depressed.

The box itself comprises a body it open at the back and at the bottom, a lid l I hinged to the top of the body Iii, a back panel It preferably taking the form of a flat metal sheet secured to the body, and lastly a bottom ll which may be opened by being pulled forward to provide access to the interior of the box to remove letters and other mail.

The body portion I5 is preferably molded in one piece from opaque or translucent glass or plastic, although any other suitable material may be used. It has sides l8, a front panel l9 joining the side panels, and a top panel 2t integrally connected to the sides and front panel, and intersecting the latter at an angle of approximately 45 as shown. The upper rear ends of the sides terminate in upstanding lugs 28 and the top panel 26 extends rearwardly to a point just short of the lugs. As will be described later. the sides It project downwardly beyond the front panel 20 forming extensions provided with interior transverse grooves 23 which extend the full width of the sides. The top panel has a slot 22 through which letters and other mail may be inserted and the dimensions of the box are such that once a full sized letter is inserted, it will lie a substantial distance below the slot making its withdrawal through the slot diflicult.

The bottom of the mailbox is in the form of a slide which may be pulled forwardly, permitting access to the box and allowingthe mail to be taken from the box, and comprises a sheet metal panel which slides. in the horizontal grooves 23 located in the interior surfaces of the sides of the body Hi just below the lower edge of the front panel l9. The grooves 23 extend from the front to the rear of the box providing ways in which the panel rides and arelarge enough to prevent binding and ensure free sliding of the panel. The front end of the bottom panel is bent upwardly forming a right angle flange 26 upon which is mounted a lock 25 of any convenient type, the lower edge of the front panel I!) being provided with a notch 26 to provide room for the lock. The flange 24 limits the inward travel of the bottom V hinged forfpivotal movement "relativeto it 3 panel while its forward travel is limited by a pair of vertical upstanding tabs 21 struck from the bottom panel adjacent the rear corners. When the bottom is pulled out the tabs will strike the inner surface of the front panel 19 of the box and pre- OfgthE mailbox is of translucent glass the back panel [6 is made of stiff sheet metal, extending from the lower edges of the sides-l8 ve ieally upward Fto a polnt substantially opposite the upper edgeof the front panel at which point it is'turned. inwardly into the box extending inc-r:

wardly and upwardly from that point at an angle of approximately 45 until it iri'ets jthe tdp pariel just to the rear of the; slot, th ns forming- 1. a diagonal switch-supporting "panel 230 'as-- hown in Figure 1. The back It is secured to the glass body l5 by scleWs extending through the back and embedded in cement-filled rc'esseswith which the side walls of the body are provided when it is molded. I

,The lid II is made of plastic and includes-a lir'iain' portion 3| which ribr m'any lis 'iipon'the top panel 20166 ring the slotfar'id'fprot tihgQthe contents or thebxi -It is indented'ja fcri'n arearwardry 'e'iit'ending"" ton"guef3 A an angle i of a prosimatei nsr 'with' t portion iil to fit between the, lugs 2|,1th' dcloeirig tannins 53'4" passing hrb teasing de ir v Th switc r2"re mbursed'on'tneuiaeonar so a position to "beerrgageuty 'trietong e '33 ar as*35'anu e eerrying contacts "31 p respecuve y, the'switc'h normall b bpen s in- 'hwith the centactssp aeea'su tly'fapar-t.

anu tlietongue'swins downinto the --n 1ajilbox 7 "he user the 3e win be erigagd and;the-

arriedelongby the tongue-for a- -short distance,

the' s'witchl being closed for only. a short-interval before the arm-'36 can slipfree cf the tongueand spa'rate'the contacts. Further-1mov ernentfof the tongue also engages'the-contact armand canrfies it :away from closed position ensuring fsepw rationbf tliecontacts;thearmgli also beingfar ranged} so that it"will slip freeof-the tongueafter amornentary engagement Znlikemanner when thelidg is dropped and the tongue returns contact arm -35 will be moved to the righti- -as viewed; in'

V bulky mail.

T circuit established'b propped in fully open position by the insertion of Parallel to and utilizing a portion of the above described bell circuit is a second doorbell circuit by means of which a visitor may announce himself in the usual manner. Controlling this circult is a push button [3 located on the front panel l9 and which, when pushed, will ring the same doorbell which responds to the opening of the lid.

This second circuit also includes a selector switch M which affords the choice of an alternate or additional-signal upon operation otthe push buttonf The selector switch? leis} mounted upon the diagonal support at adjacent the upper right side of the body as viewed in Figure 4 and has a linob 40 which extends through a slot 4| in side tsisc'ztuar'eceess rozthe switch from outside the V mailbox is convenient and easy. The switch [4 in tl'i rcrm iuestraced enables selection of either abdo ll crc' tfinalight circuit or both. Thus when th'e'r "nts'fof the house are at home the switch will be turned to the doorbell circuit positiOnsc-that depressing the push button will ring tlifi-orb'ell. On the other hand when the residents are away from home the switch can be tufn'ed tb the light circuit "po'sition Fahd hen idea ea J abovean'd' close to the 'pu shbutton eye of thefcaller is naturally as viewed im-Fi'eur l to bear against new contact-Mi ine-light:

mi der position -assume iming of 7 suaieiem wizltli to span 'tl-ie distancebetween both contacts.

previously descr'ibed fig raisir'ig the lld aln be in -the floweri-right and portionfof: Fig'i'ii' e cirouitf foi l'ightin'g lie liglit left? buttondoorbeliacircui is"sh withi -t he' lid bell cir it rne:eusn:butten:lses tziandls'iin serie'siwith thedootbell uent m .cl'ni'its rllg'hthandi esinonbut the-button series with} the light-fifl fwhe' v mswutur was it's left-hatid position.- :Wlien 'the arm 45 of switch I4 is in its middle position the button l3 will both ring the bell and light the lamp.

The respective switches, lamp socket and many of the connections can be mounted and assembled on the diagonal bracket 30 before the back I6 is secured to the body I5. All that remains, thereafter, is to make the electrical connections with the push button I3 in order to have the electrical assembly substantially complete. A cover plate 48 is then secured to the side walls as shown serving to conceal and protect the switches and other parts, the cover plate having openings through which suitable leads may pass to connect with a source of power and the doorbell both of which are most conveniently located within the house.

A modified form of my invention is illustrated in Figure 6 in which the push button I3 and switch l2 are connected by a mechanical linkage rather than by electrical connections enabling the other electrical apparatus to be entirely mounted and assembled on the diagonal bracket 30. As shown somewhat diagrammatically in Figure 6 the push button 13 is connected to a stiff but somewhat resilient wire 50 which in turn is connected to or bears against the contact arm of switch 12. The wire transmits mechanical movement of the push button to the switch so that depressing the button will result in closing the switch I2. A sleeve passing through the diagonal support supports and locates the wire in relation to the switch l2. Although for the sake of appearance I have shown the push button l3 to be centrally located in the front of the box it may be found desirable to position it adjacent to the left side of the box as viewed in Figure 6 so that a straight connecting piece, rather than an angled wire, may be utilized.

In this form of my invention the circuits may also be conveniently modified, in this instance the switch l2 bein connected in series with the selector switch l4, and the doorbell and the light being connected in parallel with each other. Then, depending on the setting of the selector switch I4, closing of switch I2 by either raising the lid or pressing the button will ring the doorbell or light the bulb or both. However in this modification, the distinctive signal, 1. e. the two sharp rings of the bell, is still retained.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided an improved mailbox construction including various signaling means in combination with it that provides an improved unit over prior known constructions.

I claim:

1. A mailbox construction comprising a generally flat back plate, a channel shaped member including a front face and side faces and secured by the edges of said side faces to said back plate, a light transmitting top plate across the top end of said channel portion to close the same, a mail slot in said top plate, a light transmitting member pivotally hinged to said side faces at the top thereof and adapted to cover said slot, a light carried by said back plate to project light up toward said top plate, a switch having a contact member mounted on said back plate and adapted to be actuated by said hinged member when said member is rocked about its pivot, a push button having a contact member mounted in said channel member, connections leading from said switch and button to a source of current and a bell outside said box and a switch carried by said box selectively to connect said push button to said connections to establish alternate electric circuits either lighting said light or ringing said bell or both.

2. A mailbox construction comprising a generally flat back plate, with an upper and a lower end portion, said upper portion being bent diagonally upwardly from the plane of said back plate to provide a panel lying at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees thereto, a channel shaped member including a front face and side faces and secured by the edges of said side faces to said back plate, a light transmitting top plate across the top end of said channel portion to close the same, a mail slot in said top plate, a light transmitting member pivotally hinged to said side faces at the top thereof and adapted to cover said slot, a light carried by said diagonally bent back plate portion to project light up toward said top plate, a switch having a contact member mounted on said back plate and adapted to be actuated by said hinged member when said membeer is rocked about its pivot, a push button having a contact member mounted in said channel member, connections leading from said switch and button to a source of current and a bell outside said box and a switch carried by said box selectively to connect said push button to said connections to establish alternate electric circuits either lighting said light or ringing said bell or both.

3. A mailbox construction comprising a generally flat back plate, a channel shaped member including a front face and side faces and secured by the edges of said side faces to said back plate, a light transmitting top plate across the top end of said channel portion to close the same, a mail slot in said top plate, a light transmitting member pivotally hinged to said side faces at the top thereof and adapted to cover said slot, a light carried by said back plate to project light up toward said top plate, a contact member mounted on said back plate and adapted to be actuated by said hinged member when said member is rocked about its pivot, a push button having a contact member mounted in said channel member, connections leading from said contact members to a source of current and a bell and a switch carried by said box selectively to connect said contact members to said connections to establish alternate electric circuits either lighting said light or ringing said bell or both when one of said contact members is actuated.

WILLIAM J. KORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 532,860 Belding Jan. 22, 1895 1,521,120 Murphy Dec. 30, 1924 1,659,351 Buccini Feb. 14, 1928 1,781,282 Hulett Nov. 11, 1930 1,911,621 Holmgren May 30, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 119,722 Germany 1901 

